A current affairs programme taking a critical look at two mainstays of the Thai night entertainment industry — a-go-go boy dancers and coyote girl dancers —–has aired on Modernine television over the last two weeks.You can watch an online replay of both shows here [link harvested - it died]. The programme on a-go-go boy dancers includes plenty of scenes of forlorn-looking young men stripped to their white briefs dancing for customers in city bars. The producers also interview the boys, who say they enter the industry for the money, and have few other choices in life.
One young man is pictured standing in front of a mirror, stressing out as he gets undressed (not dressed) for work. The youngsters say they all have moments when they feel shy or embarrassed. Dancing in a near-naked state feels demeaning. Those who sold themselves for sex also worried about the risk of picking up sexual diseases.
Some started dancing because they lacked other labour skills, or to support their families. A lucky few had made it to university, and work as a-go-go dancers to pay for their studies. Few, if any, had told their parents. None of their friends approved.
They seemed to have lost touch, even if only temporarily, with people who could care for their welfare and influence their choices in life — teachers, elders, former student friends. The risk to their health, effect on self-esteem, poor earnings and unpleasant working conditions were not worth it, they said. Yet still they carry on dancing, and — according to this programme —increasing numbers of young ones are following in their path.
Some boys in the industry take unnecessary risks, it found. The likelihood that a young one will engage in risky behaviour increases if he has no fixed abode, comes from a poor area, or lacks Thai nationality, such as hilltribe boys.
Unfortunately many interviews are conducted in nightspots, so the sound quality is atrocious. Thai subtitles run along the bottom of the screen, but they are too small for me to read on the computer.
However, one a-go-go boy told the interviewers that his boss paid him just B20 a song.
That did not include earnings from tips, but if he danced just three songs in one night, and earned no tips, B60 was his lot. The club did not send him out for dance instruction — though the owner of another bar claimed he did invest time into training his boys to dance, and speak sweetly to customers.
When boys are paid that poorly, many turn to selling their bodies to supplement their earnings. Asked what he would do if he did not dance, one northern hilltribe boy said he would probably have to work in a heavy industry such as building.
Another young man said that when he is back home in the provinces, he dresses and behaves like a 'man'. In Bangkok, he joined a bar as an a-go-go dancer to find himself. It looked more appealing than the only other option, a routine job in an office at home.
The programme, called the Black Hole, did not regard cayote dancers as part of the sex industry. They were usually young women drawn to nightclubs by the lure of money, but who also liked dancing.
A-go-go boys, however, undressed for customers, and sold their bodies for sex. It deplored the fact that both groups were so ready to demean themselves in pursuit of materialistic values.
As gays became more widely accepted in Thai society, more a-go-go nightspots were opening, and increasing numbers of young men entering the trade to cater to demand.
Yet surely that's not all of it. The programme did not talk about the contribution which foreign tourists play to underpinning the trade. Nor did it give a break-down between local customers and those from overseas.
One gay rights advocate said sex workers should get legal recognition, and more labour protection. Sex workers should regard themselves as individuals, not mere commodity goods, he said.
The programme raised a question. If Thailand regards itself as a decent place where young ones can grow up safely, in good health, and with the right values, then why are so many youngsters still choosing to enter such a dangerous trade?
now, see part 2
They seemed to have lost touch, even if only temporarily, with people who could care for their welfare and influence their choices in life — teachers, elders, former student friends. The risk to their health, effect on self-esteem, poor earnings and unpleasant working conditions were not worth it, they said. Yet still they carry on dancing, and — according to this programme —increasing numbers of young ones are following in their path.
Some boys in the industry take unnecessary risks, it found. The likelihood that a young one will engage in risky behaviour increases if he has no fixed abode, comes from a poor area, or lacks Thai nationality, such as hilltribe boys.
Unfortunately many interviews are conducted in nightspots, so the sound quality is atrocious. Thai subtitles run along the bottom of the screen, but they are too small for me to read on the computer.
However, one a-go-go boy told the interviewers that his boss paid him just B20 a song.
That did not include earnings from tips, but if he danced just three songs in one night, and earned no tips, B60 was his lot. The club did not send him out for dance instruction — though the owner of another bar claimed he did invest time into training his boys to dance, and speak sweetly to customers.
When boys are paid that poorly, many turn to selling their bodies to supplement their earnings. Asked what he would do if he did not dance, one northern hilltribe boy said he would probably have to work in a heavy industry such as building.
Another young man said that when he is back home in the provinces, he dresses and behaves like a 'man'. In Bangkok, he joined a bar as an a-go-go dancer to find himself. It looked more appealing than the only other option, a routine job in an office at home.
The programme, called the Black Hole, did not regard cayote dancers as part of the sex industry. They were usually young women drawn to nightclubs by the lure of money, but who also liked dancing.
A-go-go boys, however, undressed for customers, and sold their bodies for sex. It deplored the fact that both groups were so ready to demean themselves in pursuit of materialistic values.
As gays became more widely accepted in Thai society, more a-go-go nightspots were opening, and increasing numbers of young men entering the trade to cater to demand.
Yet surely that's not all of it. The programme did not talk about the contribution which foreign tourists play to underpinning the trade. Nor did it give a break-down between local customers and those from overseas.
One gay rights advocate said sex workers should get legal recognition, and more labour protection. Sex workers should regard themselves as individuals, not mere commodity goods, he said.
The programme raised a question. If Thailand regards itself as a decent place where young ones can grow up safely, in good health, and with the right values, then why are so many youngsters still choosing to enter such a dangerous trade?
now, see part 2
One of my normally-employed Thai friends does not disapprove of his female friend, a gogo dancing girl- because he says he knows she has no other way to support her family. Supporting the family trumps being a "good girl" as a value.
ReplyDeleteI think the foreign role in the prostitution industry (including "gogo") is overemphasised usually anyway. There's no way a group as inconsequential as we foreigners are compared to the Thais (both in terms of population and money) are more than a drop in the bucket. The industry started with them (at the end of slavery), it has continued with them, and if it ever ends it will end because of- the Thais themselves.
Your Thai friend is right. If you have no other means to support yourself, then entering the trade as an a-go-go girl may be your only way out. People can stand in judgement as much as they like...but who else can pay the bills?
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